NCBW Newsroom - The National & International Scene

WALK/BIKE/PLACES CONFERENCE DEADLINE – AUGUST 17
-> There is just over a week to go before Standard Registration ends on Friday, August 17 at 8 pm Eastern (http://bit.ly/2DIMB7k). Since our last update we have added a few more reasons to head to the Big Easy next month: "Placemaking Crash Course - Beyond Adirondack chairs and umbrellas" (http://bit.ly/2MaLzJM) will be offered on Sunday, 9/16, 3 - 5 pm; and our new Streets as Places action pack (http://bit.ly/2vOfAEQ) will be presented on Wednesday, 9/19, 4:30 - 5:30 pm. In between those sessions you will find the most comprehensive active transportation and placemaking program of any conference in North America. We will be offering sessions for APA CM and CNU-A accreditation.

For registration, hotel and program details go to www.walkbikeplaces.org. Book your room at the Sheraton by August 24 to take advantage of our special conference rates.

BARCELONA, SPAIN: INSIDE A PEDESTRIAN-FIRST 'SUPERBLOCK'
-> CityLab reports in Barcelona, Spain superblocks--40-acre, tic-tac-toe sections of the street grid that the city has transformed into pedestrian-first environments--have shot the Catalonian capital to the cutting edge of urban design. Drawing inspiration from the city's historic plan, the Mayor centered her transportation policy platform on wide-scale pedestrianization of the city, with the goal of reducing private car and moped use by 21%. Unlike a small "pocket park" or even a pedestrian mall designed for shoppers, in which the surrounding grid still defers to automobile traffic, the logic of the superblock is that, while cars may enter, people come first. An 8-minute StreetFilms video shows how these superblocks work and people's reactions to them. http://bit.ly/2Oo1hP9

GROWING UP IN A WALKABLE TOWN
-> Writing in a State of Place blog, an 18-year old intern describes his experiences of growing up in the very walkable, bikeable town of Brookline, MA which is also well-served by transit trains and buses. He describes the freedom this sustainable infrastructure has allowed him and his concerns about adjusting to college this fall in a car-dependent area. http://bit.ly/2vo9c7N

BANGLADESH: HUGE STUDENT PROTESTS OVER LAX ROAD SAFETY ENFORCEMENT
-> The Washington Post reports in huge demonstrations this past week, tens of thousands of university students and schoolchildren protested what they see as Bangladeshi authorities' lax enforcement of road rules after two students were killed by a speeding bus. Over the weekend, the initially peaceful protests turned violent, and police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at crowds. Despite the government's tough response to the protests, it announced on Monday that it would adopt tougher penalties for reckless drivers and promised to introduce the death penalty for deliberate road deaths. https://wapo.st/2KCcR6P

LIGHT PROTECTION OF CYCLE LANES: BEST PRACTICES DISCUSSION PAPER
-> The International Transport Forum released a report that reviews the effectiveness of light separation as an alternative to more permanent infrastructure to protect bicycle lanes. (Light protection, separation and segregation are used interchangeably) The London Cycling Design Standards (LCDS) (Transport for London, 2014) defines light segregation as the use of physical objects intermittently placed alongside a cycle lane marking to give additional protection from motorized traffic. This report considers infrastructure options that safeguard vulnerable road users in a cost effective and adaptable manner. "Light Protection of Cycle Lanes: Best Practices Discussion Paper" http://bit.ly/2Mc35Nq

ROTTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS: FIETSVLONDERS TRANSFORM PARKING SPACES TO BIKE PARKING
-> A Humankind article notes Rotterdam, the Netherlands is one of a very few cities that have created a flexible system to reduce on-street motor vehicle parking and provide more space for cyclists by replacing some car parking spaces with bicycle parking spaces. This Dutch harbor city has come up with the Fietsvlonders ("Bike-platforms"). These temporary parklets replace car parking with bicycle parking. They are placed for several months in a neighborhood. If the residents, shop owners, and visitors are satisfied with them after the trial period, the Fietsvlonders are turned into permanent bicycle parking. In just a couple of years, already 28 auto parking places in the city center were transformed into 280 shiny parking places for cyclists. At this moment, 22 more locations are being tested and might soon be permanent bicycle parking spaces as well. http://bit.ly/2LFGbxZ

UBER, LYFT & TRAFFIC CONGESTION
-> CityLab reports a growing body of transportation research has concluded that ride-hailing services are driving up traffic congestion in several American cities and substituting trips for walking, biking, and transit. A new report from Schaller Consulting combines recently published research and newly available data from a national travel survey and other sources to create the first detailed profile of Transportation Network Company ridership (ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft), users and usage. (The New Automobility: Lyft, Uber and the Future of American Cities: http://bit.ly/2OidqVO) The founder of Zipcar, counters that the real problem isn't too many Ubers and Lyfts--it's every vehicle on city streets, and the fact that cities continue to incentivize their use over walking, biking, or transit. http://bit.ly/2OlVcCv

ELECTRIC SCOOTER-SHARE COMPANY BIRD FUNDS BIKE LANES
-> Smart Cities Dive reports electric scooter-share company Bird is setting aside a portion of its revenue for a new fund to create protected bike lanes and repair and repaint existing ones in cities where the company operates. The company is also establishing a Global Safety Advisory Board to work on policies and education to make electric scooter use safer. The company's commitment to the bike lane fund, to come out of a collection of $1 per scooter in use per day, will also build goodwill with partner cities that can be cash-strapped, especially for infrastructure projects. With Bird potentially putting more riders into bike lanes, it not only ensures that they are safe but also makes riders more orderly by not clogging sidewalks. http://bit.ly/2vvyfG4

HIGHWAY NOISE BARRIER EFFECTIVENESS & ALTERNATIVES
-> Jalopnik notes an Undark report finds the greatest beneficiaries of concrete highway noise barriers are those that are closest to them, but on top of not decreasing noise the farther you are away, the noise barriers might also amplify sounds in those areas. (On Highway Noise Barriers, the Science Is Mixed. Are There Alternatives?: http://bit.ly/2KD1efX) Weather, wind and temperature also effect how far sound travels beyond a noise barrier and some walls cost up to $92,000 per impacted home. FHWA requires states to abate noise where reasonable and will only fund noise barriers despite other promising options such as different pavement modifications. http://bit.ly/2MoWtZe

SUCCESSFUL DUTCH BIKE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
-> Humankind reports the Dutch start-up Swapfiets offers a decent bike for €15 a month which also includes at home repair service, and insurance against theft. Swapfiets is so popular because they offer people a peace of mind. For short-term expats or international students, it's a convenient way to get a bicycle and not worrying about it getting broken or stolen. When asking people why they chose a Swapfiets over buying a second-hand bike, they all repeated the same mantra: "it's just hassle-free." http://bit.ly/2KBvfgb

CZECH CYCLELOBAROMETER: CYCLISTS RATE RIDING EXPERIENCE
-> The European Cyclists' Federation reports the Cyclelobarometer is a survey to find out how cyclists really feel when riding in their city, and to provide valuable feedback for municipalities. Thirty-five towns and cities in the Czech Republic, which joined the 'By bike to Work' campaign in 2018, were evaluated. The survey asked 37 questions to rate each city on a scale from 1-6, including: conditions for cycling, comfort on cycle routes, safety issues and cycle infrastructure. This project challenges cities to improve their cycling infrastructure and road safety, by rivaling each town against one another to be the best. It also provides clear and specific feedback on what needs to improve directly from local cyclists. http://bit.ly/2ATz7ts

CALL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT CASE STUDIES
-> Anne Morris seeks help identifying potential case studies for FHWA that "demonstrate meaningful public involvement with an emphasis on environmental justice populations in transportation decision making to support accelerated project delivery." These case studies should be similar to those found in FHWA's Transportation & Environmental Justice, Case Studies (December 2000) publication. The case studies should "demonstrate notable practices for considering EJ during transportation planning, project development and NEPA, design, right-of-way (property acquisition and management), construction, and operations and maintenance". These projects should be no older than 10 years old and can be partially completed. Ideally, the public engagement activities highlighted in these case studies will also support accelerated project delivery outcomes. anne@anne-morris.com

CALL FOR SURVEY RESPONDENTS: PED & BIKE XINGS AT ALTERNATIVE INTERSECTIONS
-> The Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) is soliciting input from pedestrian and bicycle advocates, bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee members, bike shop owners, bike club members, transportation professionals, and local orientation and mobility specialists regarding pedestrian and bicycle crossing facilities at alternative intersections. If you would like to participate in the survey, click here: http://bit.ly/2ATE1GQ. The survey will take between 10 and 40 minutes to complete. It is part of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program's efforts on 07-25: Guide for Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety at Alternative Intersections and Interchanges led by Kittelson and Associates, Inc. Deadline: August 15, 2018.